An electric car battery plant planned by China's Envision AESC in northern France, billed as a boost to an auto industry in upheaval as some traditional jobs are lost, will create at least new 1,000 positions, a French politician said on Friday.
Carmakers globally are racing to keep ahead of rivals in producing cleaner vehicles, a technology shift that will prompt Germany's Volkswagen for example to build six battery cell plants of its own in Europe.Xavier Bertrand, from the opposition Les Republicains party and who is running for re-election as head of France's Hauts-de-France region, confirmed Envision's investment in the French factory, AFP reported.
Two sources close to the matter told Reuters this week that Renault had picked Envision to make batteries for its future electric vehicles, including the Renault 5 model.AdvertisementThe investment and details on jobs were expected to be confirmed on Monday by President Emmanuel Macron, the sources said.
ACC, a venture backed by Renault's rival Stellantis and Saft, a unit of TotalEnergies, will also have a battery plant in northern France.